U.S. SHIPS BANNED BY SOVIET

Chronicle (Levin), 11 August 1947, Page 5

U.S. SHIPS BANNED BY SOVIET

Received Sundav, 8.50 p.m. NEW YORK, August 10. Russia is reported to have banned United States Navy vessels from the Soviet-occupied port of Dairen, says the World-Telegram 's Slianghai correspondent. The ban nas been accomplished indirectly by protracted delays and ovasinns and the linal failure* to answer the American Navy's requests for a cleaiance for its ships. The ban, which applies even to ships stripped of armanients, ends tlie agreement whereby the Soviet permitted an unarmed navy ship to visit Dairen once monthly with supplies and diplomatie mai] for the United States Oonsulate. It is understood that liencei'orth American diplomatie mail must be sent to Yladivostok in a Russian ship and a representati ve of the American Consulate at Dairen must go there to eoilect it. A diplomatie storm arose on December 23 after the Rnssians ordered a United States coufier vessel out of Dairen when it overstayed its visit by twoj hours. The State Department disclosed that because of Russian objections the United States had refrained since March from sending American courier ships to Dairen. The spokesman said in Marchjlussia had inforined the United States Government that Dairen was a closed port under military administration. The spokesman declined to say whether the United States proposed to make an issue of the ban or why it had not been revealed previously. By a 1945 Moscow treaty Dairen was to have been administered jointly by China and Russia, but Red Army troops have remained in control despite Chinese elforts to enter the port.